Board transfer apparatus



July 13, 1965 w. c. wATsoN 3,194,380

BOARD TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Jan. l5, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1965 w. c. WATSON 3,194,380

BOARD TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1963 5 Sheetsriishee 2 FIGB.

INVENTOR'.

3. ATTvs.

July 13, 1965 w. c. WATSON 3,194,380

v I BOARD TRANSFER APPARATUS `Filed Jan. 15, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR'. vWAYNE C. WATSON ATTYS.

July 13, 1965 w. c. wATsoN 3,194,380

BOARD TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Jan. l5, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIGG. FIG] I /44 I #42 gli /45' 435 /44 /40 I L 1 J /45/ V44 INVENTOR'. WAYNE C. WATSON BY ATTYS July 13, 1965 w. c. WATSON 3,194,380

BOARD TRANSFER APARATUS I Filed Jan. 15, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG l.

QNVENTOR'.

ATTYS.

BY WAYNE C. WATSON United States Patent O of New York Filed Jan. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 251,510 7 Claims. (Cl. 198-21) This invention relates to board transfer apparatus, especially for transferring tile-holding boards from a heating oven where adhesively attached backing sheets are dried to a cooling chamber through which the boards are returned to a delivery station, and has for an object the provision of improvements in this art.

In copending commonly owned applications there is disclosed a system for feeding tiles into rectangular pockets of rectangular boards, Serial No. 225,578, filed September 24, 1962, now Patent No. 3,177,568; positioning the tiles in like corners lof the pockets, applying backing sheets to thertiles on the boards, turning the boards from an endwise travel disposition to a sidewise travel disposition, and feeding the boards into a heating oven to dry the adhesive on the sheets, Serial No. 246,124, -led December 20, 1962; also means for returning empty boards to the filling line to be charged with tiles, Serial No. 246,120, led December 20, 1962, now Patent No. 3,172,525. The product is a unit of sheet-backed tiles arranged in desired patterns ready to be set in cement. The practice of providing such sheet-backed tile units has long been known, the sheet-attached tiles being set in cement, the backing sheet being removed after setting, as by soaking and scrubbing, and the spaces between tiles lled with grouting; but the system of handling tiles and boards according to the applications referred to is believed to be new.

The present invention relates particularly to cross transfer means for moving tile boards from the delivery end of the heating or drying oven upon delivery demand and feeding them over to and into a cooling chamber on a return path parallel to the outgoing path to and through the drying oven.

The invention provides elevator means between adjacent conveyor means and fast-action conveying means for shifting boards between parallel reversely moving conveyors in the heating oven and cooling chamber respectively.

The objects of the invention as well as various features of novelty and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. lis a plan View of a plant or system which includes apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of apparatus in zone 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation and section taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5 5 of FIG. 2;

FIG.,6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 6 6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. '7' is a vertical section taken on the line 7 7 of FIG. 6; Y FIG. 8 is a reduced partial section taken on the line 8 8 of FIG. 6;

ICC

FIG. 9 is a view like FIG. S but showing the parts in a different stage of operation;

FIG. 10 is an operational diagram of parts shown in FIGS. 6 to 9;

FIG. 1l lis an enlarged vertical section and elevation of clutch operating means, the view being taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. l2 is a wiring diagram.

Referring to FIG. 1, a tile supply conveyor belt 20 carries tiles to an arranging and feeding device 21 which feeds them into the pockets of endwise travelling boards 22 (see FIG. 5) which are moving continuously in spaced relationship on a forwarding or feed-out chain conveyor 23.

An oblique rotary brush 24 sweeps off excess tiles to a return belt conveyor 25 which returns them to the suppiy conveyor belt 20. The filled boards may be checked by an operator at an inspection station 26.

From the chain conveyor 23 the boards are transferred to a faster moving board-tilting chain conveyor 27 on which the tiles are rearranged so as to occupy uniform positions in the pockets with uniform grouting spacings between tiles, after which an operator at a sheet backing station 28 applies an adhesive-coated backing sheet to the tiles on each board as it passes. The increase in travel speed increases the spacing between boards to make it easier to apply the backing sheets.

From the chain conveyor 27 the boards with sheetbacked tiles are transferred to a side-tilt chain conveyor 29 which carries them over a turntable 3d which raises them, turns them ninety degrees and lowers them down upon a wide-gage high-level chain conveyor 31 which carries them sidewise to another separately driven chain conveyor 32 which carries them more closely spaced and at a slower speed through a heated drying oven 33.

From the oven 33 the boards are delivered by the conveyor 32 to transfer mechanism generally designated by the numeral 35 (forming the particular subject matter of the present invention) which inoves them over upon a fast-moving chain conveyor 36 which carries them into a cooling chamber 37. The boards in the cooling chamber 37 are transferred by the conveyor 36 to a slow speed chain conveyor 36a which moves them at a slower speed and closer together through the cooling chamber.

The conveyor 36a delivers the boards from the cooling chamber upon a wide-gauge high-level chain conveyor 38 which passes above a turntable 39.

The turntable 39 rises beneath a board, lifts it above the conveyor 38, turns it ninety degrees (90), and lowers it down upon a low-level narrow-gage chain conveyor 40 on which it travels endwise to a roller conveyor table 21. The boards may be pushed by hand along the table 41 or may move by gravity, or may be pushed by oncoming boards behind until they arrive upon a return chain conveyor 42. At a delivery station or zone lt3 alongside the conveyors 41 and 42 an operator lifts out the backed sheets or units of tiles and the empty boards continue their movement along the conveyor 42.

A board return cross transfer feed chain conveyor 44 takes boards one at a time as it requires them from the return conveyor 42 and by intermittent speed-up movement returns them after several steps of movement back upon the outfeed or forwarding conveyor 23.

The cross transfer mechanism 35 with which the present invention is especially concerned is shown in FIGS. 2 to 5. A framework 50 of various components is ared in guide tubes 94-secured to the frame.

ranged betWeenthedeli-very end of the drying oven 33 and the receiving end ofithe cooling. chamber 37.V The Y chainiconveyor` 32 of the drying oven 33 stops at theV delivery end. of the ovenpbut the conveyor 36 'of the Y cooling chamber 37 extends out, beyond the frame* 50. A' crossover transfer chain conveyor 51moves Yboards in Y steps from the conveyor 32 to the conveyor36. Y

' The chains of conveyor 32 at thedelivery end Vare carried by sprocketslSZ of a shaft S3 driven from power means, not shown, throughga sprocket 54 and a chain rThe chains of conveyor at the outer Vend are carried by sprockets 56 of a shaft 57, the chains being driven by "power means, not shown,'and adjustment means 5S being provided to keep the chains tight.

The chains of the crossover conveyor 51 are supported f atrone end by sprockets 60 on a shaft 61 and arevsupf ported at theother end by sprockets 62 on a shaft 63.

The shaft 63 is driven, as by a sprocket 64 thereon and a chain 65,V from the sprocket 66 of a power drive shaft 67." As shown in FIG. 3, the' chains olf-'conveyor V3, a motor M,a gear drive Gftherefor,and Vaach'airidrive 51 extend down from the sprockets 60 of shaft 61' andwV pass-over sprockets 68 of an adjusting idler vshaft 69 which is provided with means, not shown, for making ad# juStInents to keep the chains tight. The chains carry projections 70 with'rollers thereon for engaging behindtile boardsfto move them forward. nThe chainsof con-If v veyor 51 are driven in intermittent fastspeed steps byy means to be described hereinafter.

The chains of conveyor 51 travel on tabieguide rails 71 (FIG. 4) of the frame and the tile boards are guided on the sides by a front guide rail 72 anderear guide rail'sim Means are provided at the'rdelivery end of the oven 33 beyond the end of its conveyor 32' 'for' receiving the boards one ata timevand loweringthem down on the crossover conveyor 51 before it starts an intermittent# `movementtoward the coolingjchambenthe means here Y shown comprising an elevator or lift conveyor 75fcorn-.f

prising a frame table 76Vcarrying a plurality ofrollefrs-V 7,7' having their axes arranged transversely to the direction ,of movement of the emerging boards'. The conveyor Y 51 is at'a slightly lower level than the conveyor32.

The frame table 76 is mounted on slide rods 78 mounted in guide tubes 79'secured tothe frame." The frame table is moved up when aboard is fed out of the oven f to let the. board rollout upon it and is moved'down toV seat the boardY onthe crossover conveyor'Sl. This verticalgrnotion in properly timed relationship ist provided by connecting Vrods 80 pivoted at the upper end tothe table by pins 81 and carried at the lower end on eccen trics 82 'of a shaft 83. Y

Additional bridging rollers 84 carried by xed'brackets y85Y are located between and partly'beyond the sprocketsmSZ l for supporting the kforwardedge of aboard as Vit inoves out from the oven conveyor 32. In 'FIG.i4 the table rollers 77are shown in full linesin loweredposition` with a board 22 resting on the chains of conveyor' 51'. 1 The rollers7'7 provide slope outwardly. The raised position of rollers 77 is shown in broken lines.

down on conveyor 36 which is at a slightly lower level than the conveyor 51, the means here shown comprising an elevator or lift conveyor comprisinga Vframe table 91 carrying a plurality of rollers 92 having their axes arranged transversely tothe direction of movement of the boards Vfrom-the conveyor 51.'

Theframe table 91 is mounted on slide rods 93 mount# Y The framer table vis. moved up when a board is fed (out on it and is moved backr downto seat the board Von the` conveyor 36. This verticalmotion in properly time relationship. is provided by `connecting rods. 95 pivotedfat the upper shownin FIGS; 6to 1.0.I Itsrfun'ction isto drivefthe" con-V veyorchain very rapidly through',one'fstepofV travel to take a board fromtheioven, ato 'deliver: another rboardto.

the coolingy chamber conveyor; land togmove ,one orrmorer boards (the numberi depending zonV the distance between,

i v60 Means are provided at thel receiving end of the cooling chamber, 37 beyond the end ofther conveyor VS11-for` receiving the'boards one at a time and loweringthemvv end tente table byfpins veyor 36.

Additional Vshort betweenrthey conveyor 51and the elevatorrolls.92.

to deposit aboardv on a crossover conveyor; e Y

Power drive, means are provided uforthe.crossover con- V beltlllf passing overa sprocketfliv of Vthe-gear drive, 1 thence over anidler sprocket Vliivthence over a sprocketVv MP6 Vof `a leftv drivel sliaftMZ thence V'overfaf's'pnrngket 10 offa crossover conveyorv drive`-shaft1il9 andbaek over an :idle'rf sprocketV 111055y Y rhenfr vdrive shaft-107; andthe eem/ey@ aprivregshaft- Y Y 1119 areeach providedwith a one-revolution:clutchfgarf -v rangement like-that showndnY FIG.- ll vforth'e conveyol` drive shaft 1091. The 4cine-revolutienclutch which isrrerferred to bythe nurneral'llglV has a ;pin`;11,2 Whichris'normallyheld by V the A i'lotchj'1131eran arm'i114 pivotediatj 115 and held overdn positionto holdthe pinby a" sprin'gnj: f

116.l Whena 'solenoidiPZ" is energized it pulls# thearm 114 over tor thezbrokenf'line positiontojrelease? the pin f' 112 and engagesitheglclutch to make Vo nerevlolution before f the: notch 113 again 'engagesthe pinflliz'fand stops opera- V j Y tion.; ItrisonlyV necessary to showthis iclutcli-operatingfione yof the shafts 107,` V109, since Vthe'dotlier :2

mechanism for is the same-1 Returning to FIG-'Sjit drives a larger sprocket 124i von the fica the second lift 'de'vice90. The .drive ratios and connections arerfso designed thatf both irliftfsare operatedsimulif i taneously and'rineopposite phaseathrough a movement in one direction for each'fiill' rotationio-,the commVon-clutch,Y Y.

controlled operating shaft A107.Y

When the lsolenoid and clutch drive chain 127 to `drive ,a sprocket1728-v ofv a shaft-"12,9,

of aifas't-speed drive device `Vgeem'fally indicated the numeral 1305" i Y The high speed drive device for the' 'conveyor 51 is the oven vand cooling chamberandfthe lengthofvfthecrossover conveyor) onestep forwardL-g :movinggboards Y the projections 70 of `the conveyor chain engagevbeliirrd their rear ends. if' Thehigh 'speed Vdrive devic'egfwhichis providedk starts the conveyor-[into motion igradually,j a' slip :drive=131'at thesprocket 128'b'eing provided Vtopf-e; Vvent breakage,y andnto `accelerate rapidlyxand sn'noothlyqVVV to high speed, thendefcelerate Iapidly'jandisinoothlyto aV Y stop. A rail13i2 stops thebr'nards.y

The high Speeadrivedeviis largely'hosd'injagag j ing 134. it, is ofthe epicylicfcrankfand-519i.'LYe' having :f i aV iixedsun gear1135V fixed inthe: casing, Yas ,by capijscrews f' 96 and carriedf'at,:thelowenV f endY on eccentrics97` of a shaft 598.1 InFIG. 5 the V table Y rollers 92" arefsh'own in'raisedfpositionrwvith a board 2 2 resting thereon ready'tobe vlowered down upon the con-j i v bridging 'rollsY 99,'Ycarriedon a 10i) mounted on supportson thefr'ame, bridge thegspraoe willnow-,be'seenjthat whenkthen; I solenoid and clutch for shaft 107 jaref operaterdthisfwll; Y i

cause a sprocket; fora drive chain 12,1;'andja sprocket 122 for ka drive chain V12,3., to beoperated The chainlZl Y p i perating shaft i 83 of the dirstlift device 715;"and tliev'chain1231drivesa larger sprocket: y125 on the cam"opcratingfshaft:9S'xpf Y i Y i Y Y i forfshaft 109 forsihe; i. conveyor yare'operatedl this will cause asprocket1126= forai- 136. The shaft 129 extends through the casing and the bore of the sun gear into bearings in the shaft 67, which is tubular. Within the casing the shaft 129 is keyed to a carrier member or a disk 137 which rotatably supports opposite crankshafts 138 having each a planetary gear 139 meshing with the sun gear 135 and a crank arm i140 carrying a crank pin .141 with a sleeve roller 142. The rollers 142 slide along slots y143 formed by guides 144 carried by `a bar or disk member 145 which is rigid with the tubular shaft I67'.

FIG. l shows diagrammatically how this device operates. The stopped position is that shown in full lines in FIG. 10. For each cycle of movement each roller 142 moves from a mid position in its slot 143 to one end and back to mid poistion, on one cycle moving radially outward and back, as indicated by the double arrow lines in FIG. l0 and the outer position of FIG. 9, and on the alternate cycle moving radially inward and back, as indicated in FIG. 8. The curve of speed would be generally of sine form, starting from zero, reaching maximum at mid-stroke, and returning to zero. FIGS. 6, 8 and 9 do not show the stop position, the intermediate stage of these figures being shown for clarity of illustration.

Operation can be followed by reference to the wiring diagram of FIG. l2. Power is supplied at lines L1, L2 when the operating switch S3 is closed. When a board 22 moves over on the rollers of lift 7S and closes the switch S1 this energizes solenoid P1 to lower the lift 75 and raise the lift 90. When the lift '75 descends it deposits a board on the conveyor 51 and operates switch S2 to close its contact switches SZa and SZb.

Closure of switch S211 energizes the solenoid P2 and causes the conveyor 51 to move forward one step to move a board out upon the rollers of lift 90 and to move forward by one step the other boards on the conveyor, including the one just entrained thereon.

Closure of switch 82a also energizes the coil of an adjustable time delay relay TDR to start its timing action. This relay has a normally closed contact switch TDR-I in the circuit of solenoid P2 and a normally open contact switch TDR-2 in series with switch S2b (now held closed but not active) and the solenoid P1 of the lifts.

As soon as a board starts moving forward the switch S1 is opened but solenoid P2 is kept energized through switch S261 and TDR-1.

When the time delay relay TDR shifts position it opens TDR-1 and closes TDR-2. Opening of TDR-1 de-energizes solenoid P2 and assures the proper one-step movement of the conveyor. Closure of TDR-2 again energizes solenoid P1 (through S2b, now closed) and produces another operation of the lifts, lift 75 rising to receive another board and lift 90 descending to deposit a board on the conveyor 36.

The ascent of lift 75 allows switches 82a and S211 to open again to de-energize solenoid P1 and also to deenergize the time delay relay TDR to open TDR-2 and close TDR-1.

The parts are now in a position to receive another board from the oven. If no board arrives to operate the limit switch S1 and produce another cycle of operation, the parts will remain in this position. If, for shut-down, it is desired to remove all boards from the conveyor 51 and into the cooling chamber, this can be done by operating the switch S1y repeatedly until the last board has been transferred to the continuously moving conveyor 36.

It is thus seen that the invention provides a plant for feeding out tile-filled boards which, after re-arrangement and the application of a backing sheet, are turned sidewise and fed through a drying oven, then across to a cooling chamber, then past a delivery station where they can accumulate, then for returning boards, as required to the feed-out line. Also that it provides improved means for transferring boards delivered from the drying oven over to a cooling oven on a return trip past the delivery station and board return.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for purposes of illustration, it is to be understood that there may be various embodiments and modifications within the general scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Board` transfer apparatus for tile assembly boards which have a considerably greater dimension in length than width, comprising in combination, a narrow feedout belt conveyor for feeding out tile-filled boards endwise in spaced-apart relationship, a second narrow conveyor belt for taking boards from said feed-out conveyor and moving them endwise thereon in spaced-apart relationship, the tiles being rearranged and having a wet adhesive backing sheet applied thereto while on said second narrow conveyor, a wide oven belt conveyor for moving boards sidewise in closely-spaced relationship from the second narrow conveyor through an oven to dry the adhesive, an elevator turntable for raising boards from said second narrow conveyor and turning and depositing them on said wide oven conveyor, a wide return cooling belt conveyor for passing dried boards sidewise in closely-spaced relationship through a cooling chamber, a narrow crossover belt conveyor for moving boards endwise in spaced-apart relationship from said oven conveyor to said cooling conveyor, a narrow return belt conveyor for moving boards endwise in spaced-apart relationship from said wide return cooling conveyor, an elevator turntable for raising boards from said wide cooling conveyor and turning and depositing them on said narrow return conveyor, a roller table conveyor for taking boards from said narrow return conveyor and allowing them to move into end-to-end relationship at a delivery station, a narrow second return belt conveyor for taking empty boards from said roller table conveyor, and a return cross conveyor for taking empty boards from said second return conveyor and returning them sidewise in spaced-apart relationship to said feed-out conveyor.

2. Board transfer apparatus, comprising in combination, a tirst continuously moving spaced-side endless belt type board conveyor, a second continuously moving spaced-side endless belt type board conveyor spaced laterally from said first conveyor, a high-speed intermittently moving spaced-side endless belt type crossover board conveyor disposed between said first and second conveyors, said iirst conveyor having its delivery end located at the near side along the length at the receiving end of said crossover conveyor, and said crossover conveyor having its delivery end located at the near side along the length at the receiving end of said second conveyor, a lift disposed between the sides of said crossover conveyor beyond the end of said first conveyor, said lift having idle rollers, means controlled by the delivery of a board on said lift for lowering the lift to deposit the board on the crossover conveyor, and means controlled by the descent of said lift for operating said crossover conveyor through a movement of limited length a second lift disposed between the sides of said second conveyor at the delivery end of the crossover conveyor, and means for operating said second lift simultaneousiy with the operation of the iirst said lift but in opposite phase therewith to deposit a board on said second conveyor at a time while said crossover conveyor is at rest.

3. Board transfer apparatus, comprising in combination, an intermittently moving crossover belt conveyor, means for moving said crossover conveyor intermittently at high speed with acceleration and deceleration between high speed and stopped positions, a lift at each end of the conveyor, and means for operating said lifts simultaneously in opposite directions at each end of a movement of said crossover conveyor.

4. Board transfer apparatus as set forth in claim 3, which further includes a power control device at the receiving end of said crossover conveyor operated when a board is placed thereon for causing the lift at that end to descend and deposit a board on the conveyor and to cause lift at the delivery end of the conveyor, andpower control means or causing said lifts to move together reversely Vat the endof the vcrossover conveyor movement. i

5.v Apparatus as set forth in-claim', wherein said lastmentioned power-control device is a Ytime controlled de,

vice providing for the` start of return Ymovement ofthe Y lifts while the conveyor is Vcoming to a stop.

6.7Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, which further Y comprises, a slow moving conveyor for delivering a board i to theY receiving end of the `crossover conveyor, andfa4 faster moving kconveyor for taking aboard from the delivery end ofthe crossover conveyor. y Y t 7. Apparatus as set. forth in claim 6, which furthercorn-YK prises, ja slower. moving conveyortaking boards lfrom'said faster movingconveyor to carry them':incloselyfspaced 'relationship thereon. k j f ,n a 

1. BOARD TRANSFER APPARATUS FOR TILE ASSEMBLY BOARDS WHICH HAVE A CONSIDERABLY GREATER DIMENSION IN LENGTH THAN WIDTH, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A NARROW FEEDOUT BELT CONVEYOR FOR FEEDING OUT TILE-FILLED BOARDS ENDWISE IN SPACED-APART RELATIONSHIP, A SECOND NARROW CONVEYOR BELT FOR TAKING BOARDS FROM SAID FEED-OUT CONVEYOR AND MOVING THEM ENDWISE THEREON IN SPACED-APART RELATIONSHIP, THE TILES BEING REARRANGED AND HAVING A WET ADHESIVE BACKING SHEET APPLIED THERETO WHILE ON SAID SECOND NARROW CONVEYOR, A WIDE OVEN BELT CONVEYOR FOR MOVING BOARDS SIDEWISE IN CLOSELY-SPACED RELATIONSHIP FROM THE SECOND NARROW CONVEYOR THROUGH AN OVEN TO DRY THE ADHESIVE, AN ELEVATOR TURNTABLE FOR RAISING BOARDS FROM SAID SECOND NARROW CONVEYOR AND TURNING AND DEPOSITING THEM ON SAID WIDE OVEN CONVEYOR, A WIDE RETURN COOLING BELT CONVEYOR FOR PASSING DRIED BOARDS SIDEWISE IN CLOSELY-SPACED RELATIONSHIP THROUGH A COOLING CHAMBER, A NARROW CROSSOVER BELT CONVEYOR FOR MOVING BOARDS ENDWISE IN SPACED-APART RELATIONSHIP FROM SAID OVEN CONVEYOR TO SAID COOLING CONVEYOR, A NARROW RETURN BELT CONVEYOR FOR MOVING BOARDS ENDWISE IN SPACED-APART RELATIONSHIP FROM SAID WIDE RETURN COOLING CONVEYOR, AN ELEVATOR TURNTBLE FOR RAISING BOARDS FROM SAID WIDE COOLING CONVEYOR AND TURNING AND DEPOSITING THEM ON SAID NARROW RETURN CONVEYOR, A ROLLER TABLE CONVEYOR FOR TAKING BOARDS FROM SAID NARROW RETURN CONVEYOR AND ALLOWING THEM TO MOVE INTO END-TO-END RELATIONSHIP AT A DELIVERY STATION, A NARROW SECOND RETURN BELT CONVEYOR FOR TAKING EMPTY BOARDS FROM SAID ROLLER TABLE CONVEYOR, AND A RETURN CROSS CONVEYOR FOR TAKING EMPTY BOARDS FORM SAID SECOND RETURN CONVEYOR AND RETURNING THEM SIDEWISE IN SPACED-APART RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FEED-OUT CONVEYOR. 